The Sun at Night is an interesting 2D action packed side-scroller from indie developer Minicore Studios. The game takes place during an alternate post-Cold War history where the Soviets won and the United States is in ruins. However, that is not the focus of the game. The Sun at Night stars the first animal to enter Earth’s orbit; Laika the Russian space dog who “piloted” the Sputnik 2 in one of the first missions to send live animals into space to test the viability of sending humans into orbit. Sputnik 2 was not designed with any means of return or extraction for Laika, and the dog died approximately 7 hours after launch due to overheating in the cabin.
The Sun at Night explores an alternative ending for Laika and raises many questions about ethics, science, and governments along the way.
Chaz at Twinfinite writes,
How do I introduce something like The Sun at Night? The story of Laika, a Russian cosmonaut who just happens to also be a gun-toting talking dog…this game isn’t quite like anything else I’ve picked up. The story begins when Laika’s pod crash-lands in the wilderness somewhere, and must fight for survival. Before long, though, our hero is found by a group of rebels living in a large tent-camp. They nurse the injured Laika back to health and befriend her, which quickly leads to the laser-wielding pooch to a dangerous operation against Soviet forces. And their robots, of course.
METROIDVANIA WHERE YOU PLAY AS A ROBOTIC DOG, C'MON
Hardcore Gamer: Metroidvania fans, listen up! If you’ve never heard of The Sun At Night before (previously titled Laika Believes), then you’d best get acquainted with it. The game, which comes to us from Minicore Studios, is an unusual new take on the genre.
